Hertz Rental & Plate Pass

Question

Hi There

Just wondering if I should purchase a daily plate pass for $15/day? Never driven in CA before. Picking up car at airport, staying in San Diego, then driving to Harrahs and from there to Long Beach.

Will I need to have this pass?

Thanks!

Answer

When renting a car in California, the question of whether to purchase a Hertz PlatePass (or similar electronic toll pass) depends largely on your route and how much driving on toll roads or express lanes you plan to do. California does have several toll roads, especially in Southern California around Orange County, parts of Los Angeles, and in San Diego. Additionally, some bridges or express lanes on highways are cashless and require an electronic pass to pay tolls.

Here’s what to consider for your trip:

San Diego: Most driving within San Diego city and nearby areas is on free highways, so you likely won’t need the PlatePass unless you plan to use certain express lanes or toll roads like the South Bay Expressway near Chula Vista or some routes in northern San Diego County.
Harrah’s: If you are referring to Harrah’s Resort Southern California, that’s located in Valley Center, north of San Diego. Driving there from the city is mostly on free highways (I-15), so a PlatePass is generally not necessary.
Long Beach: Traveling from San Diego to Long Beach can mostly be done via I-5 or I-405, both of which are free highways. You might encounter express lanes (especially I-405 near LA) that require tolls, but these are optional and you can avoid them if desired.

Additional considerations:

Without a PlatePass, if you use a toll road or express lane that requires electronic payment, the rental company will usually send you a bill plus administrative fees, which can be higher than the daily PlatePass fee.
If you prefer flexibility and to avoid worrying about missing toll payments, paying $15/day for PlatePass may be worthwhile, especially if your route through LA might tempt you to use express lanes.
If you want to minimize costs, you can plan your route to avoid toll roads and express lanes entirely, in which case the PlatePass is unnecessary.

Summary recommendation:

For a trip primarily within San Diego, to Harrah’s, and then up to Long Beach, you likely do not need the PlatePass if you stick to standard highways and avoid express lanes.
If you want to have hassle-free access to any electronic toll or express lane without worrying about late fees, the PlatePass offers convenience for $15/day.
Check your specific route on Google Maps or a GPS app for toll roads to see if PlatePass coverage would help.

Overall, it’s optional for your planned route, and skipping it is reasonable if you are comfortable avoiding toll lanes.